Hostiles (Scott Cooper, 2017): USA

Reviewed by: Juliana Carbon Viewed at: AFI FEST 2017

The western is one of America’s oldest and most classic genres of filmmaking and, in the modern world of film, it’s a tough project to take on because of its rich history. Directors who do have to undertake excessive criticism due to the popularity of the genre but the caliber of Scott Cooper’s performance as a director in Hostiles definitely stands up to the challenge. The writing is the most powerful aspect of the film and the growth of Joe, Christian Bale’s character, is phenomenally presented. In the film, Joe, a long time army captain about to retire, is forced into giving safe passage to a Cheyenne Chief named Chief YellowHawk on orders of the president because the Chief is deathly ill. The story that unfolds along the way is powerful and beautifully presented, from the use of golden and magic hour to showcase the beauty of the 20th century western united states, to the use of character development and life altering decisions to present changes in individual characters. The costuming is gorgeous and used to show character progression as well, as Joe slowly loses the rigid army captain side of him in favor of a more undone and open minded side, and Rosalie Quaid, played by the beautiful and terrifyingly talented Rosamund Pike, loses her identity and takes on a new one.

The writing of this film is truly what sets it apart from the rest of modern westerns thanks to its honesty to the brutality experienced on both sides from both sides. It’s opening scene is disturbingly graphic and intense, but the second scene is just as awful, only on the other side of things. The constant comparison of both sides of the fight mixes them until, by the end of the film, it seems ridiculous as though there are any sides at all. Written and directed by Scott Cooper, director of other Oscar nominated performances in films like, Like Crazy (2009), the film is intelligently designed to mirror the changing of the characters and utilizes similar scenarios with different actions to represent this growth in the main characters, like Joe’s actions towards aggression at the beginning of the film versus at the end of the film.

Overall, I think Hostiles was extremely successful in creating an honest, modern Western that is true to the original style yet still imaginative and original. The final scene of the film sticks with me as the most powerful part of the movie, written like a story book with a horrific yet peaceful beginning and end. The film is a powerful and intriguing performance from start to end that I highly recommend to anyone from a die hard Western fan to  a novice in film critique, since its intelligence and beauty appeals to all.